KC Buday is a junior on the C.M. Russell High wrestling team. In this week’s individual wrestling rankings, Buday is slotted as the Class AA’s fifth best wrestler in the heavyweight division.

Q: As far as Class AA heavyweight wrestlers go, you are ranked fifth overall. That must feel good.

A: I wish I was a little higher because I beat the Number 3 and the Number 5 seed. But it doesn’t really matter. All that matters is state and how you do there. Rankings are just rankings.

Q: How would you assess how the season has gone for you so far?

A: I’ve had some good tournaments, and I’ve had some bad ones. I’m just hoping that one of my good ones is at divisionals and state.

Q: What have you improved in as a wrestler in the last year?

A: I’ve probably improved as far as more endurance. I’m trying to be more aggressive, trying to shoot more often that I usually do.

Q: You mention being more aggressive. Going off that, what are some things that you want to work on to get to that next level?

A: Sometimes in matches I let them push me around and I get a stalling call. I have to be the one pushing them around and getting them the stalling call because in a heavyweight match, a stalling call can be the difference in the match.

Q: How much do you weigh?

A: I weigh 230 right now.

Q: The cutoff for heavyweight is 285. What’s it like wrestling much bigger guys like that?

A: As long as I don’t get thrown in the first period, I just tire them out until round three and then it’s pretty easy because they’re moving really slow and I just out-endurance them.

Q: Do you feel like you’re quicker than most of your competitors?

A: Yeah, I feel like I’m one of the more athletic heavyweights in the state, along with Levi Malcolm from Billings West (ranked third). The other ranked ones are a lot heavier. Michael Lee from Flathead, he’s pretty athletic, too.

Q: How do you feel physically right now? I imagine a season in the heavyweight division can be taxing.

A: I have a little stuffy nose right now (smiles). I don’t know, who doesn’t? My back hurts from trying to lift them. At the last meet at the Rocky, I hurt my elbow in the first match. But I just fought through it and tried to make the best I could out of it.

Q: How do you recover from those grueling matches? Do you do anything special to recuperate?

A: No, I normally just nap and hot tub (smiles).

Q: What about your team? How do think it is doing as a whole?

A: We have a lot of people who are scrapping really hard. We have a couple freshman who are doing a lot better than I thought they would. Max Sechena came back. I’m just hoping he does as good as he’s done in the past. We need him to get to state because he usually gets injured. We just need him to make it. And then we might get Deven Altenburg(-Lasher) back next week, and he’s a really good wrestler, too.

Q: How have you fared at state in the past?

A: My freshman year, I didn’t get to go to divisionals because I was under Payton Sexe and Noah Danielson. And then my sophomore year I made it to state and lost my first match, won my second and then lost my third.

Q: So what are goals this time around?

A: I want to place. I want to take third, fourth. Fifth, sixth if I have to, but I want third or fourth.

Q: I know you’re a football player, too. What do you do outside of wrestling?

A: I play football, but other than that I just prepare, go to the camps and stuff, preparing for the season.

Q: What do you prefer: football or wrestling?

A: I probably like football more just because it’s more people working together. It’s just not you versus someone else. And I don’t think it’s as emotional. Wrestling gets super emotional because it’s you vs. someone else and you put everything on the line.

Q: Is it hard to reel in those emotions? I’m always surprised that more kids don’t lose their temper in wrestling.

A: I just try to keep calm because most of my matches are close. I try to think about what I did wrong and hopefully I’ll get to see them again and change what I did against them.

Q: You were a left guard on the football team. Are you looking forward to your senior year?

A: I’m super excited for next year because we have a lot of guys getting in the weight room. Everyone’s excited for next year and I’m just ready to play again.

Q: Is wrestling or football something you want to pursue in college?

A: I’ve thought about it, but I’m not really sure what one I’m going to pick. It really just depends on where I get a better scholarship, I guess.